Automated installations documentation inaccuracies

AlesGolob

While trying to perform an automated upgrade with the new automated install method I ran in some problems that are mostly the result of the documentation being wrong.

1. Website parameter PRESERVECONFIG is set to 'no' by default while the documentation states it's set to 'yes'. So if you attempt an upgrade and wish to use the same connection configuration as before you have to set this parameter. The solution here would probably be to change the default value to yes in the MSI or correct the documentation.
   
   
2. Base Monitor parameter SERVICERPCPORTNUM is empty by default and not set to 7399 as the documentation states. It in fact isn't a mandatory parameter but if it's not defined the base monitor configuration after upgrade (and perhaps even new install) is set to an empty string. This in turn causes the service to start and run but not listen on any network interface or port.
   
   
3. Website and Base Monitor parameter I_AGREE_TO_THE_EULA is in fact mandatory for an upgrade even though the documentation states it's needed only for a new install.
   

Other than that, this functionality seems to work flawlessly at least for an upgrade even when used with the /quiet parameter for msiexec.exe.

It also seems this is the perfect method to install the Base Monitor with a gMSA account out of the box without any post install tinkering and manual service modification.

All in all a great job!

P.S.: I really hope that web.msi and base.msi files will be available separately for download as the current method of obtaining them is a bit convoluted.

Russell D

Thanks for the feedback!

1 - this actually does not work at all yet I'm afraid to say, but we will correct the documentation to reflect what should work (and will work when we've fixed it).
2 - this does not appear empty for me with 11.0.5 at least, can you retest with the latest version?
3 - I've raised an issue for this. Not sure if it should be mandatory or the documentation needs changing - we'll get to it.

We are working on a better way of making the MSIs available, no ETA on that yet though!

AlesGolob

I've tested with the latest version and what I found out is:

1. It would be strange if it didn't work as the config in my case got retained during an upgrade when I ran it with this command:
   

   Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -Wait -ArgumentList "/i base.msi /qn 
   DATACONNECTION=`"Data Source=DBSRV;Initial 
   Catalog=RedGateMonitor;Integrated Security=True;Max Pool 
   Size=500;Connect Timeout=15;Encrypt=False;Trust Server 
   Certificate=False;Packet Size=8000`" SERVICETYPE=gmsa 
   SERVICEDOMAIN=domain SERVICEUSERNAME=gmsaUser I_AGREE_TO_THE_EULA=yes"</code>Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -Wait -ArgumentList "/i web.msi /q I_AGREE_TO_THE_EULA=yes SERVICETYPE=network <b>PRESERVECONFIG=yes</b>"</pre></li><li>I have upgraded the base monitor from 11.0.4 to 11.0.5 using this command:<br><pre class="CodeBlock"><code>

   And when the service restarted the RPC port was not set in  RedGate.SqlMonitor.Engine.Alerting.Base.Service.exe.settings.config:
   

     <networkSettings portNum="7399"/></code>&nbsp; <networkSettings portNum=""/></pre>After I change enter the correct port number and restart the service the page works as expected.<br><br>But if I run the same upgrade by adding the <b>SERVICERPCPORTNUM=7399</b> parameter the configuration is correct:<br><pre class="CodeBlock"><code>

AlesGolob

I've test those two issues with the latest version - 11.0.5:

1. It would be strange if it didn't work as the config in my case gets retained during an upgrade if I run it with this command:
   

   Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -Wait -ArgumentList "/i web.msi /q I_AGREE_TO_THE_EULA=yes SERVICETYPE=network PRESERVECONFIG=yes"

2. I have upgraded from 11.0.4 to 11.0.5 using this command:
   

   Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -Wait -ArgumentList "/i base.msi /qn DATACONNECTION=`"Data Source=DBSRV;Initial Catalog=RedGateMonitor;Integrated Security=True;Max Pool Size=500;Connect Timeout=15;Encrypt=False;Trust Server Certificate=False;Packet Size=8000`" SERVICETYPE=gmsa SERVICEDOMAIN=domain SERVICEUSERNAME=gmsaUser I_AGREE_TO_THE_EULA=yes"

   And when the service restarted the RPC port was not set in RedGate.SqlMonitor.Engine.Alerting.Base.Service.exe.settings.config:
   

   &nbsp; <networkSettings portNum=""/>

   After I change enter the correct port number and restart the service the page works as expected.
   
   But if I run the same upgrade by adding the SERVICERPCPORTNUM=7399 parameter the configuration is correct:
   

   &nbsp; <networkSettings portNum="7399"/>